Artesia building permits
Department contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for Artesia, New Mexico.
Last verified 2026-07-18 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- Planning & Zoning physical address per the City's current Building Permits and Building Inspection webpages: 15 E Compress Rd., Artesia, NM 88210 (mailing: PO Box 1310, Artesia, NM 88211-1310). Note: the City's own materials are not fully consistent on this point -- the City's live FAQ (artesianm.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=199 and related Q's) separately states 'the Permit office is located at 119 S Roselawn STE 303,' and the Building Permit Application form and several plan-requirement/policy PDFs (Community Development Department letterhead) list 801 W. Bush Ave. / 801 Bush St., Artesia, NM 88210. All three addresses appear on current or recently-dated official City of Artesia materials; confirm the current in-person intake location by phone before visiting.
- Phone
- (575) 748-8298 (Planning & Zoning / Permit Technician Elida Martinez); Don Plotner, Res. Building/Plumbing/Mechanical Inspector (listed elsewhere on the City site as 'Chief Building Official'), (575) 748-8295; Fire Marshal Brenden Harvey (575) 746-5051 for the fire-department sign-off required on many non-1-and-2-family-home permits
- Office hours
- Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fax: (575) 746-8502. Plan reviews are conducted on Tuesdays and Thursdays specifically, per the City's own Residential and Commercial Permit Application Procedure documents.
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in Artesia — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
New Mexico sets construction codes statewide by rule, not through home-rule discretion. Under the Construction Industries Licensing Act (NMSA 1978 §§ 60-13-1 et seq.), the state's Construction Industries Commission and Division (CID, within the Regulation & Licensing Department) adopt the technical construction codes codified at New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC) Title 14 — including the state's own Building, Residential, Existing Building, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Plumbing, Solar Energy, and Swimming Pool codes, and the National Electrical Code (14.10.4 NMAC currently adopts the 2020 NEC; the CID Commission periodically updates individual code chapters, so confirm the current edition with the applicable authority). Per NMSA 1978 § 60-13-44(E), these state codes "constitute a minimum requirement" binding every political subdivision in New Mexico — no city or county may adopt anything less stringent, though a jurisdiction may adopt stricter local amendments. Enforcement authority runs through whichever entity is the project's Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ, defined at NMAC 14.5.1.7.B): under NMSA 1978 § 60-13-41(D)-(F), a municipality or county that employs its own full-time certified building official may self-administer permitting, plan review, and inspection locally (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Farmington, and Roswell all operate this way); jurisdictions without a certified building official default to direct enforcement by a CID field office (e.g., Hobbs, Alamogordo). Some jurisdictions run a hybrid — locally certified for some trades while CID directly enforces others (Roswell's electrical permitting, for example, reverted to direct CID administration as of January 1, 2026). Always confirm with the specific jurisdiction whether it or the state CID is the acting AHJ for a given trade before submitting plans.
- The City of Artesia Code of Ordinances, Title 8 'Building Regulations,' Chapter 1 'Building Codes; Fees' (current through Ord. O-1135, passed 8-13-2024, per amlegal.com's currency statement), was retrieved and reviewed section-by-section this pass via codelibrary.amlegal.com. Sec. 8-1-1 (Building Code) and Sec. 8-1-2 (Residential Code) each provide: 'The city adopts by this section all conditions, provisions, limitations and terms of the latest edition of the building [or residential] code adopted by the state, and all amendments thereto' (Ord. 911, 2-12-2013) -- i.e., a dynamic, 'latest edition adopted by the state' reference rather than a fixed year, the same self-administering pattern independently verified for Carlsbad (also in Eddy County). Sec. 8-1-3 (Plumbing and Mechanical Code) adopts, in the same dynamic language, 'the latest edition of the plumbing and mechanical code adopted by the state' (Ord. 911, 2-12-2013). Source: City of Artesia Code of Ordinances 8-1-1, 8-1-2, 8-1-3, codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/artesianm/latest/artesia_nm/
- Because Sec. 8-1-1/8-1-2/8-1-3 reference the state's currently-adopted codes rather than a fixed edition, the operative statewide-minimum codes Artesia currently enforces are the same current CID-enforced cycle independently verified for Carlsbad (per CID's Building Permit Guide for Residential Construction, rev. 10/2024, and NMAC Title 14): 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code (based on 2021 IBC) -- NMAC 14.7.2; 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (based on 2021 IRC) -- NMAC 14.7.3; 2021 New Mexico Residential Energy Conservation Code -- NMAC 14.7.6 (effective 7/30/2024); 2021 New Mexico Commercial Energy Code -- NMAC 14.7.9 (effective 7/30/2024); 2021 New Mexico Existing Building Code -- NMAC 14.7.7; 2021 New Mexico Plumbing Code -- NMAC 14.8.2; 2021 New Mexico Mechanical Code -- NMAC 14.9.2; 2020 New Mexico Electrical Code (based on 2020 NEC) -- NMAC 14.10.4. Separately, the City's own 'Residential Building Permit Guide' plan-submittal PDF (DocumentCenter/View/54) still lists a stale 'APPLICABLE CODES' block naming the 2009 NM Commercial/Residential Building Code, 2009 IBC/IRC, 2009 NM Energy Conservation Code, 2009 NM Plumbing and Mechanical Code, and a 2014 NM Electrical Code -- the same 'un-updated legacy PDF text vs. dynamic ordinance clause' pattern already documented for Carlsbad's Chapter 8; the dynamic ordinance language controls, not the stale PDF table. Source: City of Artesia 'Residential Building Permit Guide,' artesianm.gov/DocumentCenter/View/54; NM RLD/CID Building Permit Guide for Residential Construction, rev. 10/2024 (rld.nm.gov)
- Sec. 8-1-4 (Fire and Safety Codes) separately and specifically adopts 'the international fire code, 2015 edition, including appendices B, C and D' with City-specific amendments to Sections 101.1 (jurisdiction name insert), 109.4 (violation = misdemeanor, $500, 90 days), 105.7 (Required Construction Permits, rewritten), 105.7.9 (Gates/Fences/Barricades near fire apparatus roads/hydrants), 105.7.13 (Fire Hydrants), 105.7.19 (Means of Egress, added), and 105.7.20 (Demolitions, added: 'A permit is required for the demolition of any structure ... including but not limited to, buildings, fire department access roads, bridges, or towers'). Source: City of Artesia Code of Ordinances 8-1-4, codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/artesianm/latest/artesia_nm/
- Sec. 8-1-7 (Existing Building Code) adopts 'all conditions, provisions, limitations and terms of the latest edition of the International Existing Building Code adopted by the State, and all amendments thereto; known as the New Mexico Existing Building Code (NMEBC)' (dated 2019 in the ordinance history). Sec. 8-1-9 (National Electrical Code) and Sec. 8-1-10 (National Electric Safety Code) each separately adopt 'the latest edition' of those national documents (Ord. 911, 2-12-2013), while Sec. 8-1-11 (State Electrical Code and Electrical Safety Code) separately adopts 'the New Mexico Electrical Code (14.10.4 NMAC)' (Ord. 911, 2-12-2013) -- three overlapping electrical-code sections as codified, rather than a single citation. Source: City of Artesia Code of Ordinances 8-1-7, 8-1-9, 8-1-10, 8-1-11, codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/artesianm/latest/artesia_nm/
- Sec. 8-1-8 (Property Maintenance Code) adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, 2018 edition (Ord. 1045, 1-8-2019), with an extensive table of City-specific amendments, including Sec. 102.7 ('All references in the IPMC to the International Building Code shall be deemed references to the latest edition of the New Mexico Commercial Building Code (NMCBC)' and parallel deeming clauses for NMRBC/NMEBC/NMPC/NMMC/NMEC/NMECC) and Sec. 103.2/103.3 designating the City's Chief Building Official as 'the code official' and the City's code enforcement officer, building inspector, and planning and zoning administrator as deputies. Source: City of Artesia Code of Ordinances 8-1-8, codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/artesianm/latest/artesia_nm/
- Sec. 8-1-6 (Fees) provides that 'The City Council shall establish by resolution a schedule of fees, charges and expenses for building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits and inspections,' rather than codifying the fee tables directly in the ordinance text -- this matches the three standalone fee-schedule PDFs published on the City's own Fees page (artesianm.gov/279/Fees), each headed 'Municipal Code Title 8 Chapter 1' but carrying no printed effective date of their own. Source: City of Artesia Code of Ordinances 8-1-6; Building Permit Fee (PDF), Electrical Permit Fee (PDF), and Plumbing Mechanical Permit Fee (PDF), artesianm.gov/279/Fees
Permit types & fees
Residential Building Permit (New Construction)
Required for new single-family and two-family dwelling construction within Artesia city limits. The City of Artesia issues the permit directly through its Community Development Department / Planning & Zoning Division -- there is no separate New Mexico CID submittal step for work inside city limits, since Artesia self-administers under the dynamic 'latest edition adopted by the state' code-adoption clauses in its own Title 8 ordinance.
Residential Addition / Alteration / Remodel Permit
Required for additions, remodels, window/door replacement, and alterations to existing residential structures in Artesia, filed on the same universal Building Permit Application used for new construction with 'Alteration/Repair' or 'Addition' checked as the Building Type.
Commercial Building Permit
Required for new commercial construction, additions, and alterations to commercial buildings within Artesia city limits. Filed on the same universal Building Permit Application, but requires three (3) sets of plans and three (3) plot plans rather than the two required for residential work, and requires a contractor holding a current GB98 New Mexico Construction Industries Division license.
Electrical Permit
Required for electrical installation, alteration, and repair work in Artesia. Filed on the universal Building Permit Application with 'Electrical' checked, and billed under a flat amperage-based fee schedule that explicitly does not require a project valuation.
EV Charger / EVSE Permit
Required for installation of a residential electric vehicle charging circuit in Artesia. Filed on the universal Building Permit Application with 'Electrical' checked, billed under the City's flat amperage-based Electrical Fee Schedule. The schedule (Municipal Code Title 8 Chapter 1) has no EV-charger/EVSE-specific line item — a Level 2 EV charger circuit that is not a service change is billed under the schedule's 'For items not listed' catch-all fee.
Plumbing Permit
Required for plumbing installation, alteration, and repair work in Artesia, including water heaters, gas piping, and swimming pools, filed on the universal Building Permit Application under a per-fixture/per-system fee schedule shared with mechanical permits.
Mechanical / HVAC Permit
Required for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration equipment installations in Artesia, filed on the universal Building Permit Application under the same per-system fee schedule document as plumbing permits.
Manufactured / Mobile Home Placement Permit
Required for placement of a manufactured (mobile) home within Artesia city limits. Unlike the City's other building-related permits, this permit is issued only after the applicant separately obtains an installation permit from the New Mexico Manufactured Housing Division (MHD) -- the City's own placement permit and the state's installation permit are sequential, not alternative, steps.
Demolition Permit
Required for demolition of any structure within Artesia, filed on the universal Building Permit Application with 'Demo' checked as the Building Type, and additionally requires a separate fire-code construction permit under the City's locally amended 2015 International Fire Code.
Solar PV Permit
Artesia issues no separate solar-PV permit type; rooftop or ground-mounted photovoltaic installation is permitted as a combined Building Permit (structural/racking, valuation-based fee table) and Electrical Permit (amp-based fee table), both under Municipal Code Title 8, Chapter 1, administered by Building Inspections, a division of the Planning Department.
Sign Permit
Required before erection of any sign constituting an independent structure within Artesia city limits, per City Code of Ordinances Title 9, Chapter 11 (Signs), Sec. 9-11-1. Filed on the same universal Building Permit Application used for other trade permits ('Sign' checked as Permit Type) and billed under the City's general valuation-based Building Permit Fee table, since no separate sign-specific fee line item is published.
Fire Alarm / Fire Sprinkler Permit
Required for installation, alteration, or even routine testing/maintenance of fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems (and related fire protection systems -- standpipe, fire pump, kitchen hood/fire suppression, spray/dipping rooms) within Artesia city limits. Filed directly with the Artesia Fire Department, Office of Fire Prevention & Public Education, on a single 'Special Fire Permit Application' covering all fire protection system types -- a separate process from the City's universal Building Permit Application used for other trades.
Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use Permit
Required before any change in the use or occupancy of land, or any change of use or occupancy in an existing building (other than for single-family dwelling purposes), and before any new building may be occupied, within Artesia city limits, per City Code of Ordinances Title 9 (Zoning), Chapter 13, Sec. 9-13-4. Also issued as the final step of the City's standard building-permit process once all required trade inspections are approved.
Tips & gotchas
- Artesia is a self-administering New Mexico municipality: the City's own Community Development Department / Planning & Zoning Division issues building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits directly, under Code of Ordinances Title 8 Chapter 1 -- there is no separate New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID) submittal step for work inside city limits. This contrasts with unincorporated Eddy County, where CID issues permits directly.
- The City's own materials list three different physical addresses for permit intake across different documents: 15 E Compress Rd. (current Building Permits/Building Inspection webpages), 119 S Roselawn STE 303 (current live FAQ), and 801 W. Bush Ave. / 801 Bush St. (permit application form and several plan-requirement PDFs). Confirm the current in-person location by phone, (575) 748-8298, before visiting.
- The City uses ONE universal Building Permit Application for Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Gas, Fence, Sign, and Lane/Alley Closure permit types -- the applicant checks the relevant Permit Type box on the same form rather than filing separate trade-specific applications.
- Artesia's own Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-1-1/8-1-2/8-1-3 adopt building, residential, and plumbing/mechanical codes by a dynamic 'latest edition adopted by the state' clause rather than a fixed year -- meaning the operative codes are the same current statewide NMAC 14.7-14.10 cycle independently verified for Carlsbad, NOT the stale 2009/2014-cycle code names still printed on the City's own 'Residential Building Permit Guide' PDF (artesianm.gov/DocumentCenter/View/54).
- Artesia has a distinct, locally-amended 2015 International Fire Code (Sec. 8-1-4) requiring separate fire-code construction permits for gates/fences/barricades near fire apparatus roads or hydrants, fire hydrant work, means-of-egress changes, and demolition -- layered on top of, and separate from, the City's own building permit for the same categories of work.
- Expansive clay soils are a documented, City-published local hazard: Artesia's 'Policy for Residential Foundations' either requires an engineered geotechnical foundation design or a specific prescriptive foundation (24in native-soil removal/95% compaction, monolithic slab rebar mat, 18in x 24in perimeter footings) plus leak-testing of all plumbing piping before the slab pour.
- No jurisdiction-published review-timeline figure with a firm numeric maximum was found for ANY Artesia permit type. Where the City's own procedure documents state a figure ('Plan reviews are done on Tuesdays and Thursdays... 2 days to several weeks'), it is recorded as {min: 2, max: null} rather than inventing a specific day-count for 'several weeks.' This figure was found for the plans-based Residential Building, Residential Addition/Alteration, Commercial Building, and Demolition permit types (all processed through the same building-permit-review track); it was NOT extended to Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, or Manufactured Home permits, which use simpler flat/per-item fee schedules with no separately published trade-specific timeline -- those four permit types are recorded as HARD-UNPUBLISHED (null + note). Eddy County's own publications were checked for every permit type and found inapplicable, because Eddy County/CID does not administer permits inside Artesia city limits.
- Work must begin within 180 days of permit issuance or the permit expires and a new permit and fee are required, per the City's own FAQ.